H N Y

Yesterday was the first day of the New Year according to the lunar calendar. Because of the abundance of fishermen here in Tonaki and the importance of lunar light to their trade the lunar calendar is widely used. I have learned that the tides (of course governed by the moon) have much to do with the success of casting and spear-fishing as does the amount of light penetrating the waters. High tide and low tide are the worst times to fish as far as the movement of water is concerned and the best times are the two hours before high tide and an hour after high tide. As this entry is more about New Year's celebration than about fishing I'll leave the waters for higher ground.
I was unexpectedly awakened by the principal at 8:30 yesterday (Sunday) morning to be reminded about meeting him for the celebration I believed to be at 9:00 pm. Apparently he and some of the other Tonaki officials had been up on the mountain to pray during the sunrise and were now on their way to the house of the descendents of the first family on Tonaki. I quickly dressed and had a bowl of cereal before heading over. I felt disrespectfully underdressed when I arrived to find every male but one wearing full suits, but the kindness of the attendees soon made this baka gaijin feel at ease in my jeans and rugby shirt. The mayor and the high ranking politicians were all kneeling in truly uncomfortable seiza form around a table facing the end where an elderly woman was praying towards numerous sticks of incense in front of the sliding window-door facing cherry trees bright pink in bloom. This room was ante to a larger tatami in which about 15 others were seated around a table listening. As soon as the prayers were offered, the eating and drinking began. Many different dishes were placed in front of me and, had I known that this would only be the first of five stops in the day's procession I would have eaten sparingly. After what I considered a refusal to a bowl of pork and vegetable stew it was placed in front of me none-the-less (somewhat reminiscent of a time when I refused extra helpings of peas and carrots from a certain uncle - remember Myles?). After an hour or so I rolled out of there as full as the overstuffed chair I received in the mail the previous week, and moved about as nimbly. The next stop was the mayor's (depicted below) where the food was just as plentiful and yet more extravagant. How could I turn down the numerous varieties of fish, cooked and sashimi-style? Some men broke out three-stringed sanshin and played the somber 'opening tune' before moving on to a few more lively numbers. One fellow having had his fare share of awomori (Okinawan sake usually mixed with water and poured over ice) stood and joyously danced in traditional Okinawan style with hands rotating at the wrist in time to the music. The fellow seated next to me had at one time studied English and was eager to converse but because of his shyness about his English ability resorted mostly to lightning fast Japanese. Luckily he was quite adept at hand- and body-language so I managed to understand that he wanted me to keep eating from his vigorous head nods, hand points, and an interspersed "douzo" here and there (it's hand-talkers like this man who thankfully promote a few minutes of blissful self-deception about my poor Japanese because I'm actually understanding what he's saying). I found myself quite enjoying the company of this friendly member of the town counsel and regretted having to leave after the hour or so we spent here. Alas, it was on to more consumption at the head of Tonaki's Board of Education.
I must mention that this man has a heart of gold. Every time I interrupt his day by entering his office to pay some bill or something, he stops whatever he's doing and invites me to have a seat on the leather couch opposite. He'll then usually get me some tea and try his best to decipher the butchered garble coming out of my mouth. He'll dig out some notes he scrawled from our last 'meeting' usually consisting of the English words he had me spell out for him and had later checked the meaning after I had left to see if there was anything written that would in any way relate to the purpose of my visit. I just love that the guy seems to drop everything the moment he sees me. This day was no exception. He was constantly making sure my plate and glass were full, offering me the sanshin when songs were being played, making sure I knew where the next venue was to be, always with a big smile on his face. Everyone was so genuinely hospitable. After his place, we moved on to the former mayor's and then one of two teachers' who reside long term and have grown up here. By the time I got home it was 4:30 pm and I was amoung the first to leave.